


It Gets Easier

by PhantomSpade



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Based on Season 3 teaser, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Metahuman Trafficking, Mourning, Moving On, Post-Endgame, Posthumous Character, Speculation, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 07:50:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15881718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomSpade/pseuds/PhantomSpade
Summary: A few years ago, Wally West has sacrificed himself to save the earth from terrible destruction, leaving everyone he cared for in mourning, including his girlfriend Artemis and best friend Dick. Few years later, Artemis has moved on for the most part, but a piece of her is still struggling to accept Wally's death.





	It Gets Easier

\---

Three years. 

It has been almost three years since Wally's death. The Team and the Justice League were scattered around the world, trying to disable all of the Reach's devices that caused natural disasters. Wally, along with the Flash and Impulse, were handling the last one in the Arctic, when the energy from the machine started to drain off the three speedsters. Wally, who was slower than the other two, ended up taking the brunt of it and faded from existence. It was unexpected and devastating. 

It completely crushed everyone who found out. The Team had lost previous members before and it was no less heartbreaking, but Wally's death made the largest impact. Flash blamed himself for not being able to save his nephew from vanishing, and the parents were devastated to lose their only son. Impulse had took on the mantle of Kid Flash out of respect and atonement for not being able to save Wally as well. Artemis threw away for old superhero identity in exchange for the persona she had adopted after she "died"; it was her way of putting distance between her and Wally. As for Dick...he had quit the Team, though he had claimed he was just taking a break. His facade wouldn't show it, but a few others-including Artemis-knew that he was just as devastated as everyone else was. If not more-so, because of how close he and Wally were. He also felt regretful for not being able to completely patch up their friendship beforehand, even though deep down, Wally never blamed him for everything that had happened. 

For a while after that event, Artemis had bottled up her feelings of grief and tried to soldier on. But whenever she was alone, she let her emotions go and cried herself out. She was still hurting from the loss, and she was uncertain if she could completely move on. Wally was her first and perhaps her only love. It was amazing how the two clashed earlier on before making peace with each other, then finding out how they were more similar than they had realized, and finally falling in love. When Wally died, Artemis felt like part of her died along with him. Even years later, the hurt was still there. 

During those years, there had been many changes. Conner and M'gann had rekindled their relationship after the latter broke up with Lagoon Boy. Lagoon Boy was glum for a while before getting over it and had left the Team to come back to Atlantis. Garfield, on the other hand, was pretty happy that the two had gotten back together and worked out their issues. And while Conner stayed with the Team, M'gann had decided to retire from the superhero life and live like a normal human being. But she had said that if the Team needed her help, she would not hesitate to come back. Artemis had heard from the martian that apparently, Wally's death had motivated Cassie to confess her feelings for Tim and the two have entered a relationship. Artemis was a little surprised, considering how neither Cassie or Tim didn't show any indications of having feelings for one another. Maybe she wasn't paying attention enough. 

Kaldur had come back to lead the Team again. Some were quick to forgive Kaldur for being part of the deception, others took some time to come around because they were hurt from said deception. And like Lagoon Boy, some members have quit the Team either in favor of living quiet lives or to be independent heroes. It was mostly on good terms, and everyone who stayed supported those who chose to leave even though they were sad to see them go. In exchange, the Team had made some new recruits. There was one in particular that caught Artemis's interest: a young female archer who was actually the girl she had saved a long time ago. 

With new dangers coming up, everyone had to keep moving on. They say that it gets easier, but does it really?

\---

A dog is barking. It is morning. 

A large gray pit-bull jumps up on the bed Artemis is sleeping in and starts licking her face. After a few seconds, Artemis giggles and starts to wake up. 

"Alright. Hi, Brucely. I'm up." Artemis yawns, petting Brucely for a little bit before she stretches her arms out and sits up from her bed. "I'm up." She looks to the side and sees a picture on the dresser beside her. It was of her and Wally half-hugging each other while grinning at the camera, with Brucely just barely peeking out from the corner. She smiles sadly at the picture. 

' _Good morning Wally._ ' 

Three years since Artemis had woken up alone in bed. The bed that she had shared with Wally. Even though she had stopped crying herself to sleep after those nights years ago, the empty feeling is still present in her heart. There is still that pain, but Artemis has already learned to cover it up. She can't let grief control her. She wants to keep moving on for Wally. 

The sound of another dog barks from downstairs. Brucely looks up at Artemis, tail wagging in excitement. Artemis slips the covers off and stands up from her bed. "Alright, alright. I'm coming." She says as she walks out of the bedroom, Brucely trailing after her. 

' _Dick said that we would be starting an undercover team soon, Great, more deception coming up._ '

' _....Wish me luck, Wally. Love you._ ' 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Young Justice (c) DC Comics


End file.
